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An Wang

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Computer Tech

The Resume

    (February 7, 1920-March 24, 1990)
    Born in Shanghai, China
    Co-inventor of magnetic core memory
    Held 35 patents
    Founded Wang Laboratories (1951)
    Marketed calculators in the 60s word processors in the 70s and minicomputers and desktop computers in the 80s

Why he might be annoying:

    After IBM challenged his magnetic core memory patents (1956), he held a grudge against the company for the rest of his life.
    As a result of being logarithm based, his first calculator, the Wang LOCI-2 (1965), insisted that the answer for 2x2 was 3.999999999.
    He had to de-list the company from the New York Stock Exchange for using non-NYSE-approved techniques to maintain family control of the company.
    His first personal computer was deliberately incompatible with IBM's, which limited the software it could run and contributed to its commercial failure.
    His attempt to install his son Fred as his successor did not work out and he had to fire Fred (1989).
    His company went bankrupt two years after his death.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He built his own radios as a high school student and during WWII designed receivers and transmitters for the Chinese army.
    His word processors were designed for easy use by people unfamiliar with computers.
    He said, 'Success is more a function of consistent common sense than it is of genius.'
    He was described as 'rare in being a technological genius who knew how to run a business.'
    He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (1988).
    I got through the profile without a single wang-based penis joke.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 109 Votes: 51.38% Annoying